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en-usCopyright 2015 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Chris Shunk, Sam Abuelsamid and Dan RothThe podcast by the people who obsessively cover the auto industry.http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/27/elon-musk-says-yes-to-letter-asking-for-new-model-s-features/http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/27/elon-musk-says-yes-to-letter-asking-for-new-model-s-features/http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/27/elon-musk-says-yes-to-letter-asking-for-new-model-s-features/#commentsFiled under: EV/Plug-in, Flex-Fuel, Tesla Motors

If you want to get Tesla CEO Elon Musk's attention, taking out a full-page ad in his local newspaper will apparently do the trick. That's what two self-proclaimed "very highly satisfied" Model S owners did, asking for a few small changes in the popular EV. In response, Musk Tweeted a picture of the ad and wrote, "Ad taken out in Palo Alto Daily [News] by two Model S owners is right. Many of the suggestions will be implemented soon." The ad also appeared in the Palo Alto Weekly.

You can see all of the requests by clicking the image above, but we'll mention some of them here. Improved voice-activated phone dialing, better sensors (like blind-spot monitors), redesigned sun visor, automatically closing charging port door and then the big one: Tesla ads.

Tesla isn't talking about when the new features will be available, but if any of those items are unlikely in the near future, it's Tesla advertisements. After all, why pay for media attention when a simple Tweet about other people paying for your ad can get tremendous amounts of attention?

if you've ever felt like going to the gas station was in some ways similar to a junkie visiting a dealer, we've got the movie for you. Pump: The Movie is coming to theaters next month and it looks like it's going to put the addiction to oil message front and center. We like the movie's take-no-prisoners tagline: "Some battles need bullets. This one needs tanks."

In the short trailer, there are a number of solutions presented, from methanol to plug-in vehicles, and it includes a clip from an interview with Tesla CEO Elon Musk. There seems to be a preference for flexfuel vehicles and biofuels, but we'll have to wait until we see the movie to know which tack the movie takes. At the very least, the movie seems like it will be an inspiring look at ways to reduce the amount of oil we use in our cars.

Big Oil companies help keep renewable fuels out of your tank, a new report shows. No surprise there, right? The Renewable Fuels Association published a report card grading the country's largest retail gasoline chains on fuel offerings like E85 and E15. The report gave failing grades, with less than one percent of stations offering E15 or E85, to "Big Five" companies Exxon, BP, ConocoPhillips, Chevron and Shell, among other oil company and convenience/grocery store brands. The only major oil companies that didn't get an "F" were Valero (D), Cenex (B), and Marathon (A-). The eight companies that scored an A+ had at least 25 percent of their stations offering E85 or E15. Read more at Domestic Fuel.

Leicester scientists are studying local air pollution using EVs. Beginning July 4, University of Leicester researchers began driving electric vehicles kitted out with special sensors to monitor air quality throughout the city (similar to how California does it). Now their emissions-free daily driving duties double as data collection for their studies. "By monitoring air quality as a seamless part of our daily transport system, we are providing a cost-effective way to help inform future policy and operational systems," says the University's Dr. Roland Leigh. Read more at Fleet News.

"There is no doubt electric cars are the future." - Nissan's Andy Palmer

Nissan is exploring the idea of taking its Leaf EV to India, but a lack of charging options is an obstacle. According to Nissan's chief planning officer Andy Palmer, "There is no doubt electric cars are the future. The product is there, what we need is infrastructure. Charging is a big challenge." Though Nissan stopped short of saying it (this time), this could possibly mean working with Mahindra, which said it is open to collaborating with other companies concerning EVs. Learn more in this article from the Hindustan Times and know that India is rolling out a plan to encourage the production and adoption of EVs. The National Electric Mobility Mission Plan will get over $2 billion in funding, and some of that will go toward creating a charging infrastructure (you hear that, Nissan?). This is good news for EV manufacturers, India's economy and people who enjoy breathing clean air. Read more at The Financial Express.

AAA has released its 2014 Green Car Guide (PDF), a 140-page document that discusses what it means to be green, how to be a greener driver, how to shop for green cars, what choices are available and what green cars are on the horizon. Most importantly, the guide evaluates and ranks 83 different green vehicles, from high-mileage gasoline vehicles to battery electric cars, and everything in between. This year's king of green vehicles, according to AAA, is the Tesla Model S.

Despite someinterpreting this to mean that AAA is calling the Tesla Model S (with 85-kWh battery) the greenest car, the scoring system only includes two "green" categories out of the 13 evaluated: emissions and fuel economy; the Tesla earns 10 out of 10 in both, but so do every other EV on the list. The other categories include braking, crashworthiness, visibility, slalom handling, ride quality, interior noise, acceleration, ease of entry and exit, interior size, turning circle and luggage capacity. The Model S scored very well (more than 7 out of 10 points) in every category except the last four mentioned. So, this isn't about whether the Tesla is the greenest of the lot. Instead, it's about the AAA deeming it the best all-around car of the green bunch.

The best green car value is the gasoline-powered Chevrolet Spark 1LT at $229 per point.

AAA also calculates the cost per point for the 83 cars tested. The best green car value, according to this evaluation, is the gasoline-powered Chevrolet Spark 1LT at $229 per point. The Tesla Model S is in the bottom five, at $953 per point. So while the Tesla might be AAA's best green car, those points don't come cheap.

At the end of the month, Missouri will begin to allow the sale of the controversialE15 fuel. Currently, most available gasoline is sold as a blend with up to 10 percent ethanol. Missouri will become the 13th state to approve the 15-percent ethanol blend to be sold at the pump.

E15 proponents point out that higher-ethanol fuel blends burn more cleanly and reduce harmful emissions, are more renewable, and can help lessen the country's dependence on foreign oil. Corn growers in Missouri also claim that E15 sales and production will help the state economy. Interestingly and not surprisingly, of the 12 states that have already approved the use of E15, many are large producers of corn, with Missouri typically included in the list of Corn Belt states.

While the EPA has approved E15 for all model year 2001 and newer cars, many consumers and automakers have been reluctant to embrace the cleaner-burning blend. Ethanol is known to be corrosive, and concerns that E15 could damage engines - despite the EPA's blessing - has caused a lot of pushback against its proliferation. Missouri's acceptance of E15 is another battle won for ethanol supporters in the drawn out, back-and-forth fight over its use. Despite resistance from parts of the auto and oil industries, some automakers are reportedly quietly readying new vehicles for E15. As usual, expect for the news and drama surrounding ethanol and E15 to continue.

As it stands, for those who want to fill up their tanks with the corn-fed fuel, options are limited. Concerns over liability have caused many retailers to avoid selling the blend, and most E15 states only have a handful of stations that offer it.

People pay attention to Steve Wozniak. People pay attention to Tesla Motors. Put the two together, with the bonus of a not-yet-available Model X, and you've got the makings of Twitter gold. This was proven yesterday, when Woz Tweeted a picture of himself with what he said was "our new Tesla!" Excited admirers offered their congratulations and wanted to see the cool Falcon doors in action.

But it was all a dream too sweet. The Model X, after all, isn't due until the end of the year and even an Apple co-founder can't bend time that much. Tech editor at The StreetChris Ciaccia popped the bubble with this Tweeted explanation: "Despite @stevewoz tweeting a pic of him w/the Model X, not his new car. Just a photo op with the display model at that charging station." So, really, "Woz's" Model X could belong to anyone who wants to go to wherever the display model is located and snap a picture.

We would not be surprised, though, if Woz is one of the 12,000 (guesstimated) pre-orders for the Model X. The all-wheel drive, all-electric CUV can hit 60 miles per hour in under five seconds thanks to a powertrain similar to the one in the Model S. Like the popular S, the X will come with either a 60- or 85-kWh battery. You can see the Falcon doors move up and down, digitally, here.

Fans of the old Schoolhouse Rock cartoons (there are more of us than you think) know that three is the magic number, and that's the approach a new UK carsharing club is taking with its launch. The E-Car Club bills itself as the UK's "first entirely electric pay-per-use car club" and it debuted earlier this month at the University of Hertfordshire, about 20 miles north of London.

The club is starting service with two Renault Zoe vehicles and one Renault Fluence Z.E., both which have a single charge range of about 100 miles. E-Car provides special parking places and charging spots on the campus (and we all know how tough parking is on campus). The rate? E-Club charges 5.50 British pounds (about $9) an hour, including insurance, cleaning and taxes, while the annual fee is 50 pounds. That said, the club is offering a half-price membership discount and a free hour of driving for those who sign up before the end of the month.

US car-sharing leader Zipcar, which was acquired last year by Avis Budget Group, has a pretty extensive presence in London as well, though it can't lay claim to the "all-electric" badge. Check out E-Car's press release below.

How bad is ethanol for your engine? There's been a lot of debate on this issue as the US considers upping the biofuel content in the national gasoline supply from 10 percent (E10) to 15 percent (E15). The ethanol industry and some scientists say higher ethanol blends show no "meaningful differences" in new engines while the oil industry says ethanol creates health risks. Researchers working at the Ford Research and Innovation Center decided to take a closer look at how a wide range of gas-ethanol blends - E0, E10, E20, E30, E40, E55 and E80 - affected the emissions coming out of a flex-fuel 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis.

To see the full report, printed in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, requires payment, but there is an abstract and Green Car Congress has some more details. The gist is that, "with increasing ethanol content in the fuel, the tailpipe emissions of ethanol, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, methane, and ammonia increased." At least NOx and NMHC emissions decreased. The researchers say that the effects are due to the fuel and "are expected for all FFVs," but that the way that a manufacturer calibrates the engine will affect NOx, THC, and NMOG emissions.

It's this last bit that's important, since the researchers found, "Higher ethanol content in gasoline affects several fundamental fuel properties that can impact emissions. ... These changes can have positive or negative effects that can depend on engine design, hardware, and control strategy. In addition to direct emissions impacts, higher ethanol content fuel can also provide more efficient combustion and overall engine operation under part-load conditions and under knock-limited higher-load conditions." So, as we head towards more ethanol in our fuel supply (maybe), manufacturers are going to need to learn how to burn it most efficiently.

The boxing match between ethanol supporters and opponents is heading into the final round, and it's looking like ethanol could go down pretty hard.

The US Environmental Protection Agency's 60-day public comment period for its proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) policy changes - which have eased off the ethanol pedal a bit, for the first time ever - comes to a close in mid-January. While many of the major automakers are already manufacturing 2014 model year vehicles that are capable of burning 15-percent ethanol-blended gasoline (E15), it doesn't look like very much of that biofuel will be showing up at gas stations. There's the debate over E15's effect on engines, and now federal support for corn ethanol could be going away.

Last month, US Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) joined forces with Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) to introduce a bill that would remove ethanol from the RFS. Feinstein remains a supporter of renewable fuels, she says, but told CNBC it's "really not wise" to make too much of it. She's also worried about the effects on livestock producers in her home state.

Of course, ethanol advocates don't agree at all with proposed bill's assumptions. "This measure would strand billions of dollars already invested in advanced fuels; undermine research and development; and threaten thousands of potential jobs," said biofuels advocacy group Fuels America in a statement.

Algae-derived biofuel burns cleaner than petroleum fuels and is often less resource-intensive than first-generation biofuels. That's the conclusion the Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) reaches from the first-ever study that analyzed results from an existing algae-to-energy demonstration scale farm.

The study, with the easy-to-remember names of, "Pilot-scale data provide enhanced estimates of the life cycle energy and emissions profile of algae biofuels produced via hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL)," comes from a new peer-reviewed paper published in Bioresource Technology. Authors of the study did a lifecycle analysis of an algae cultivation and fuel production process currently used at pre-commercial scales by Sapphire Energy.

Field data for the study came from two of Sapphire's New Mexico facilities - one in Las Cruces and the other in Columbus - that grow and process algae into Green Crude oil. Sapphire's Green Crude can be refined into gasoline, diesel or jet fuel. Once the fuel reaches commercial scale, it's expected to produce biofuels with lower greenhouse gas emissions and EROI comparable to first-gen biofuels. That EROI is also expected to be close to petroleum and three times higher than cellulosic ethanol. The findings also give Sapphire's system kudos for recycling nutrients and producing significant energy savings during the process.

First-gen biofuels in the US are made up mostly by corn-based ethanol, which makes up to 10 percent of "normal" gasoline and, in some cases, up to 15 percent. The flex-fuel-vehicle specific E85 is made up of 85 percent biofuel and 15 percent petroleum product.

Congress is considering a revised version of the Open Fuel Standard Act, an Act that was originally introduced two years ago but failed to pass. Representatives Eliot Engel (D-NY) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) introduced a bipartisan bill that would require more and more new vehicles to be able to run on at least some non-petroleum fuels. The requirements would be for 30 percent of new vehicles to be alt-fuel ready in 2016, 50 percent in 2017 and 50 percent in each subsequent year.

The bill calls for more vehicles that run on methanol, flex-fuel, natural gas, hydrogen, ethanol, biodiesel, plug-in hybrid drive, fuel cells and a broad category for "new technologies."

That's much lower than the original bill. While the new version tops out at 50 percent, the original would have required 95 percent (!) of all new vehicles to meet be alt-fuel capable. Unsurprisingly, automakers were not happy with that high level, according to the Methanol Institute. The institute now strongly supports the new bill, which includes methanol as an alt-fuel option along with flex-fuel, natural gas, hydrogen, ethanol, biodiesel, plug-in hybrids, fuel cells and a broad category for "new technologies."

Rep. Engel has worked hard to get the Open Fuel Standard Act passed. He has introduced it as an amendment to 10 appropriation bills over the past three years and it's been tied to President Obama's 2011 Memorandum of Federal Fleet Performance that requires all of its new light-duty vehicles to be alt-fuel by the end of 2015.

For members of Congress concerned mostly about reducing carbon emissions, the Open Fuel Standard Act might be difficult to swallow because it doesn't actively require reductions. For example, there are dual-fuel (or bi-fuel) trucks that can run on natural gas or gasoline, flex-fuel vehicles capable of taking up to 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline and plug-in hybrids powered by an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. That means it's up each driver to decide how many miles are moved by cleaner fuels and how many by old-fashioned petroleum. The new bill has found support from the original bill's co-sponsors Reps. Steve Israel (D-NY), Allyson Schwartz (D-PA), Tom Cole (R-OK), Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Delegate Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam).

Mascoma, a cellulosic ethanol maker, has been working on gaining capital investment from just about every funding source out there. But now it looks like the attempts to go public and raise $100 million have been pulled off the market.

Gigaom's Katie Fehrenbacher had been puzzled that a company with weak financials - including 86 percent of its revenue coming from government grants - filed to launch an initial public offering. That happened about a year and a half ago but the effort never made it to the stock market.

The other 14 percent of Mascoma's revenue came from selling its next-generation yeast to corn ethanol makers to cut their costs. Mascoma has wanted to go in a different direction - producing next-generation cellulosic ethanol from plant waste and not corn, with the waste coming from wood waste in a Michigan factory.

The company said it was "market conditions" that made it withdraw the public offering.

The Mascoma stock market launch was waiting in the wings until this month, when the company quietly withdrew its IPO plan. The company said it was "market conditions" that made it withdraw the public offering, even though, as Fehrenbacher writes, macro IPO conditions seem a little bit better this year than in 2012.

Another confusing pre-IPO action was Mascoma raising a few million dollars in debt during two rounds over the past six months. That didn't make a lot of sense for a company preparing to go public. Government grants have taken a bigger slice of the pie since the initial filing a year and a half ago. Its latest revenue numbers, from a year ago, said that government grants and awards made 93 percent of its revenue - up seven percent since its initial filing six months earlier.

Mascoma was founded in 2005 by Dartmouth professor Lee Rybeck Lynd. Since that time, company management has secured government funds and at least over $100 million from private capital firms and corporations including Khosla Ventures, SunOpta, GM and Marathon Oil (General Motors took an equity stake in Mascoma in 2008). The US Department of Energy awarded it $80 million, though its not clear if all the funds came through. The state of Michigan offered the company a $20-million grant to build its factory in Michigan.

Advanced biofuels has been a very tough business to break into, and other companies have failed in taking cellulosic ethanol to scale.

Ethanol advocates are continuing to throw down the gauntlet with Big Oil. Jabs have been thrown through satire and blogging - now the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is throwing a hook by going after ConocoPhillips, one of Big Oil's top five conglomerates.

RFA says that ConocoPhillips has threatened the franchise agreement with fuel station retailer Zarco 66 unless it offers premium gasoline. This gasoline would have to replace the ethanol stored in one of Zarco 66's two fueling tanks; these tanks have stored ethanol that's been used for years in the blend of 85-percent ethanol (E85) at Zarco 66 fuel stations. ConocoPhillips put the pressure on to sell premium gasoline not long after Zarco 66 became the nation's first retail chain to offer gasoline with 15 percent ethanol (E15) last summer. "ConocoPhillips quickly threatened to terminate Zarco 66's franchise agreement and charge Zarco 66 hundreds of thousands of dollars in penalties unless Zarco 66 started offering 'premium' gasoline," said RFA president and CEO Bob Dinneen. If ConocoPhillips gets its way, it would mean "far fewer [ethanol] sales than the ethanol blends that would be available if Zarco 66 maintained the current ethanol contents," Dineen said.

"I am a true believer in energy independence, alternatives [and] domestic fuels, and I will continue to fight for that."

RFA is also asking for a federal investigation into the matter. The ethanol advocacy association sent a three-page letter to the US Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Trade Commission, US Department of Energy and US Department of Agriculture. RFA is requesting the agencies to investigate and put an end to the "oil industry's highly discriminatory and unlawful conduct - conduct that is impeding the delivery of renewable fuels to the American marketplace," the letter stated. Zarco 66 could become the "first casualty" in the oil industry's war against renewable fuels.

Zarco 66 has yet to cave in to Big Oil. "I am a true believer in energy independence, alternatives [and] domestic fuels, and I will continue to fight for that, because I believe that is what is in the best interest of our country," Zarco 66 owner Scott Zaremba told Ethanol Producer Magazine.

There's been a lot of concern expressed over the potentially damaging impact on engines that E15 - gasoline with 15 percent ethanol - could have on vehicle engines. AAA most recently sounded an alarm on the issue - the organization says that sale of E15 gasoline should be postponed until consumers can be educated on the fuel - and using the fuel can void the warranty in some vehicles.

Right now, drivers have access to E15 only in certain areas of the country, like Kansas and Iowa. To educate Eastern Iowan readers on what it costs to use E15 in their gas tanks, a local newspaper took a field trip to find out how the biofuel compares to fueling up on gasoline with E10. They accessed the Linn Co-op Oil Co. in Marion, IA, three times in the last month and found that on the first day, the E15 price was two cents per gallon more than E10 at nearby stations, and that it was approximately the same price for E10 at nearby stations on the two December dates.

The fuel economy experience was similar to typical gasoline with E10, even though higher ethanol concentrations in gasoline can be associated with a loss in fuel economy. The team tested E15 in a 2003 Volkswagen Golf with a 2.0 liter, four-cylinder engine with a typical mileage range of 28 to 32 miles per gallon, depending on driving conditions. Their experience was very similar with E15 - 31.5 mpg on the first fill-up and 28.6 mpg on the second.

Engine performance didn't appear to be impaired during the non-scientific test, and the risk of motorists accidentally filling the gas tank with E15 didn't seem to be a real problem. Pricing did seem to slightly favor E10 over E15, and having very limited access to E15 at gas pumps gives E10 the edge for now.

Granted, this is a very limited test run for E15, fitting since we're a long way away from the fuel being available at most gas stations across the country. For that to happen, it will take lots of user experiences similar to that experienced by the reporters - positive real world driving conditions and beneficial cent-to-cent comparisons. The numbers could be huge: the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association has calculated that drivers in Iowa could have saved $69 million this year had E15 been widely available. IRFA executive director Monte Shaw told Domestic Fuel, "Until E15 is widely available, Iowans will continue paying more at the pump than they should."

Propel Fuels is acquiring $21 million in funding to add more than 200 fuel stations in new and existing markets over the next two years, offering more drivers E85 ethanol and biodiesel blends. The company currently sells fuel out of 31 existing retail stations in California and Washington, sharing gas pumps with gasoline and diesel.

The company has closed the initial phase of its Series D round of funding for $11 million in equity capital from existing investors Nth Power, Craton Equity Partners and @Ventures, and a new investor, Gentry Venture Partners. Propel Fuels has also secured an additional $10 million in debt financing.

Propel's mission is to create a network of fueling stations offering drivers the cleanest, most sustainable, domestically produced fuels on the market today. Along with clean fuel, the company is focused on offering consumers a satisfying station experience; to do that, Propel offers services including a CarbonOffset program, improvements in vehicle fuel economy, finding rideshare opportunities, tuning bicycles and recycling on the go.

The company is seeing fast growth, being named the 17th fastest growing energy company in Inc. Magazine's ranking of Fastest Growing Private Companies, the 8th Fastest Growing Private Company in Silicon Valley by the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal and the 14th Fastest Growing Private Company in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Business Times.

Along with receiving funding from California, Propel has lobbied in Washington for favorable implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard. The political climate for biofuels is difficult to work through, with the food versus fuel debate and diminishing support from politicians. Propel Fuels is supporting advanced biofuels like algae-based diesel, but for now, corn ethanol makes up most of the biofuel used in E85 and E10 (and, slowly, in E15) blends found in gas stations across the country. Corn ethanol has its share of critics, but for those looking for E85 and biodiesel, Propel is working hard at bringing these fuels to the public.

When the US Energy Information Administration released its annual energy outlook pre-release earlier this month, biofuels industry publication Biofuels Digest was hit with six press releases from the biofuels community in the space of two hours. The final version of the EIA's energy outlook through 2040 won't come out until the spring, but the 16-page preview was enough to set off an avalanche of biofuel industry outcry.

The EIA's Annual Energy Outlook 2013 projection is less optimistic about the ability of advanced biofuels to take a larger share of the liquid fuels market. For the 2013 forecast, biomass use is expected to reach 4.2 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) in 2035, compared to 5.4 quadrillion Btu listed in the 2012 AEO report.

Still, the longer-term trend is up. The 2013 report thinks that we will reach 4.9 quadrillion Btu in 2040, up from 2011's prediction of 2.7 quadrillion Btu. But why did the forecast drop so far from the 2012 report to the new version? According to the EIA's energy outlook, "The increases are much smaller than those in AEO2012, however, as a result of diminished FFV [flex fuel vehicle] penetration, a smaller motor gasoline pool for blending ethanol, and reduced production of cellulosic biofuels."

While biofuel use is expected to be lower than initially anticipated, the AEO 2013 is bullish about growth in other facets of energy production - solar and wind are expected to go up; light crude oil and natural gas are expected to go way up. Sales of FFVs in 2035 are expected to drop to about half what they were in the previous report - 1.3 million, or less than half the 2.9 million FFV sales expected in the 2012 report.

There's bad news in the report for consumers - the EIA thinks gasoline prices will jump 25 percent - diesel by 37 percent - in 2011 dollar terms. If you add in 2.5 percent annual inflation, that will come out to $8.62 per gallon for gasoline and $9.86 for diesel. The cause of this increase is expected to be rising crude oil prices.

Battery electric vehicles also had their numbers diminished - 119,000 units sold in 2035, down 65 percent from the expected numbers in the 2012 report. The EV sales decline is expected to be offset by increased sales of hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles, a full 20 percent higher than they were in the 2012 report.

Ten governors and a coalition of farm groups were upset on Friday to see the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) deny requests that corn production requirements be waived. While corn farmers were likely glad to see the ruling, farmers in the poultry, hog and cattle industries were not. They're seeing big increases in corn-based feed costs in this drought-heavy year as corn is diverted for ethanol used in vehicle fuel. The EPA says that the Renewable Fuel Standard must be enforced and conditions are not present to qualify for the waiver.

Governor Mike Beebe (D-AK) had sent a letter to EPA in August calling for the waiver due to a "terrible toll" on animal agriculture in Arkansas and that consumers would be paying higher food prices because of it. Beebe was joined by governors from North Carolina, New Mexico, Georgia, Texas, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Utah and Wyoming.

The EPA said that the agency had studied the effects of waiving the requirement and determined it would have had little impact on corn prices. The EPA recognized this year's drought has created hardship in several sectors including livestock producers. However, extensive data analysis made clear to the agency that Congressional requirements for a waiver had not been met and that following the requirements of the Renewable Fuel Standard will have little, if any, impact on corn prices. Most of corn ethanol is blended into gasoline and makes up 10 percent of what comes out of the pump in the US, and this level will be increasing to E15, or 15 percent ethanol, in some areas.

It is tough to get a waiver. The EPA can grant one if it determines that the set ethanol production volume would "severely harm" the economy of a state, region or the entire country. The RFS requires that 13.2 billion gallons of ethanol be produced by this year, and 15 billion gallons by 2015.

A coalition of livestock, poultry and dairy organizations were upset with the ruling. "We are extremely frustrated and discouraged that EPA chose to ignore the clear economic argument from tens of thousands of family farmers and livestock and poultry producers," the coalition said in a statement. The farmers and governors had been joined by environmental groups in opposition to increased ethanol production. Environmentalists see increased production tearing up the land.

Automakers and fans of alternative fuel vehicles have been waiting for years for consumers to start rolling off dealer lots driving green cars. It is slowly starting to happen, with the number of vehicles that don't run exclusively on standard gasoline nearly doubling from 534,000 on US roads in 2003 to almost 940,000 in 2010, according to US Energy Information Administration. The numbers have only risen since then, and are expected to increase in the coming years - Pike Research is forecasting sales of hybrid and electric vehicles to nearly triple by 2017 when federal mandates for higher fuel economy vehicles take hold.

While wealthy consumers have been hanging out at Tesla Motors showrooms to consider buying the expensive Model S, some fleet managers are becoming more interested in buying alternative power vehicles as well. The environmental benefits are there, but the economic figures makes sense, too.

"The main reason we made the decision to transfer to an alternative-fuel fleet is to keep our carbon footprint as low as possible, but it's definitely helping the bottom line," Kelso Ingraham, operations and logistics manager at snack-food maker SunRidge Farms, told Terra. The company has saved 33 percent on fuel costs thanks to its hybrid electric vehicles.

Benefits making alternative fuel vehicles more attractive to fleets and consumers are federal tax incentives up to $7,500 per vehicle, decreasing sticker prices, record breaking gasoline prices, high mileage vehicles, access to carpool lanes and a growing fueling infrastructure. The number of vehicles is getting more diverse and numerous, too. This selection includes all-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hybrids, and natural gas, propane, clean diesel, hydrogen, ethanol, and biodiesel powered vehicles. If you're getting ready to do homework on lifecycle costs for alternative fuel vehicles, here's an "Alt-Buyers Guide":

US Department of Energy website offers a comprehensive overview of alternative fuels and vehicle options, case studies, reports, links to interactive maps and other resources.

FuelEconomy.gov offers mileage and cruising range information on most AFVs, including a simple cost calculator.

The current and past presidents of Iowa Renewable Fuels Association were able to chat with Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney on Tuesday, asking for his endorsement of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) and ethanol. IRFA president Brad Albin and past president Walt Wendland approached Romney and put him on the spot while an associate filmed (watch it below). Romney's response? "I do support the RFS and ethanol."

Albin works for Renewable Energy Group and Wendland with Golden Grain Energy, both of which are biofuels production companies in the state. They approached Romney at the Koch family farm in Van Meter, IA, where Romney was speaking about his agriculture policy goals.

IRFA's slogan is "leading Iowa into the 21st century's bio-refining economy," and the association brings together ethanol and biodiesel producers to promote and support the industry. The industry is dependent on the federal RFA, and looks like it's gaining support from both the Romney and Obama campaigns. Gaining traction in Washington is difficult these days, especially when the amount of corn used as a gasoline additive is lambasted by leaders in the United Nations who are worried about volatile global food prices and drought conditions.

There's another hurdle the IRFA and other biofuels advocacy groups have to get over: public support. There are thousands of flex-fuel vehicles on American roads these days (made by General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler), but it has yet to gain widespread awareness and support from consumers as an important alternative fuel.

Flex-fuel vehicle owners need questions answered: Can you go as far on a tank of E85 as you can on gasoline? Why do the levels of ethanol blend vary widely in different gas stations? What's the real price differential between gasoline and ethanol? So far, drivers don't seem to be impressed enough with ethanol, or biodiesel, to demand government support for the alternative fuels or to make sure they're gassing up with it.

The Brazilian Hyundai subsidiary has launched a Brazil-only flex-fuel model called the HB20. It will be manufactured at its new plant in Piracicaba, Brazil, which starts production September 20 ahead of an early October sales launch.

Hyundai decided to bring its first Brazil-exclusive car to market to meet the tastes of Brazilian consumers and driving conditions in the country. Small cars make up Brazil's largest and most competitive segment. "I guarantee with pride that HB20 will change the perception of Brazilian customers in the small car segment," said Chang Kyun Han, President of Hyundai Motor Brasil. The HB20 is Hyundai's first flex-fuel car. Building the HB20 as a flex-fuel car was a good idea, considering Brazil requires gasoline to contain a minimum of 20 percent sugar cane ethanol.

The Hyundai HB20 will be offered in nine versions with a comprehensive package offered as standard from entry levels - hydraulic power steering, dual front airbags, air conditioning, and a spoiler with built-in brake lights, to name a few. The HB20 comes with three powertrains: 1.0L and 1.6L, with a manual gearbox and 1.6L, with automatic transmission.

The name "HB" stands for Hyundai Brasil, and the number "20" is the company's characterization for vehicles in this segment, a category that includes models assembled on small or compact vehicle platforms. See also: the i20.

Hyundai took about five years to develop the new model, which is part of the company's larger regionalization strategy. Dozens of Brazilian and Korean engineers were involved in the concept phase. Their strategy was to build a car tailored to Brazilian consumers' sensitivity to stylish and fuel-efficient cars. HB20 also features advanced anti-theft functions for maximum security.